Letter from Kenya, Part II

Posted by Joan Bermingham 
 

Dear Joan,

We are delighted to inform you that the Waterholes Restoration Project in Merrueshi Group Ranch has been completed. This conservation project will significantly benefit both Maasai pastoralists and native wildlife. Hundreds of livestock and countless wildlife will benefit from the waterholes.

Waterholes have historically been the primary source of water in the semi-arid land of the Maasai. To date, watering holes continue to play an important role for wildlife and livestock in East Africa.


According to Maasai pastoralists, the waterholes were originally formed and maintained by elephants and warthogs. The names of these six renovated waterholes sometimes reveal information on their discovery or the animals that utilize them. For example, one of the waterholes, Noombitiro, was named after a warthog that led herders and their livestock to the waterhole. Another waterhole, Lolkanchaoi is a hub for elephants in the area. This is where the elephants play and take mud baths to protect themselves from the dry savanna heat.


The new renovation of the waterholes brings them back to their natural state, which had been damaged by the effects of prolonged drought. We have now been able to restore six natural waterholes that were previously unusable, as they had silted up due to a combination of excessive vegetation growth and soil erosion. It will now be easier to harvest and keep seasonal rainwater, which would otherwise be lost to evaporation and runoff. An adequate water supply will give wildlife and livestock the choice to roam and graze freely, preventing overgrazing, and the early exhaustion of resources in any one area.

Community Responsibility for Waterholes

Each beneficiary community has selected a committee that will oversee the use and management of their waterhole. These communities will maintain their waterhole without additional funding from the Maasai Association.


The Waterhole Restoration Project was funded by Woodland Park Zoo and individual well-wishers. Thank you for your continued support.